Events
All events at the Arboretum are free. We welcome people of all abilities and are committed to facilitating a safe and engaging experience for all who visit. To view our accessibility practices, please visit our Accessibility page. To request services such as an interpreter, wheelchair, or other assistance prior to attending an event, please contact us as soon as you register.
Upcoming Events
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Jul 31Oct 03
Art Show | Tree Ring Histories: The Quilts of Anna Von Mertens
Working with international dendrochronologists, Anna Von Mertens culled source images of tree ring cross-sections from studies connecting climate variability and periods of human instability. The events represented in her quilts correlate to periods of drought recorded by the tree rings. Fading thread colors mirror and highlight historical events.
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Sep 01Oct 31
Guided Tours
Join us for a walk through the Arboretum! Tour seasonal plant highlights and learn about Arboretum history from a trained docent.
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Sep 09Oct 09
Art Show | The Art of the Woodturner: Selected Works in the Hunnewell Visitor Center
Woodturners from three New England clubs return to the Arboretum for a weekend of demonstrations in October. September, however, brings us a truly special show of unusual craft displayed in the Hunnewell Visitor Center. Each piece has been specially chosen by members of the individual clubs for the artisan’s virtuosity with wood and imagination, showcasing their spectacular ability to use a lathe to turn out unique works of art. (Image: "Eclipse," Joe Centorino)
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Oct 01
Guided Bicycle Tour
Come on a bicycle ride with Arboretum Horticulturist Brendan Keegan to learn how much of the Arboretum you can see by bike as we head into fall. You will make many stops along the way to admire the fall foliage and learn about plants in the collection. This ride involves several climbs (and descents) of our two large hills, Bussey and Peters. All types of bikes are welcome.
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Oct 07Oct 09
Art Show | The Art of the Woodturner Exhibition Weekend
For the sixth year, woodturners from throughout New England will exhibit their work at the Arboretum for a weekend of demonstrations and discussion. Using a lathe to form their pieces, woodturners create practical objects or “turn” to the purely aesthetic, resulting in a show that appeals to the eye and the touch. Visit the Hunnewell Visitor Center at 125 Arborway from noon - 4:00pm on October 7 and 10:00am-4:00pm on October 8 and 9. (Image: "Cherry Root Bowl," Steve Wiseman)
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Oct 14Feb 13
Art Show | Intricate Beauties: The Lichen Explorations of Natalie Andrew
Ceramics provide a vehicle for Natalie Andrew’s exploration into the sublime aesthetics inherent in lichen. An artist and a biologist, Andrew was permitted by the Arboretum’s curation department to observe the ‘spontaneous flora’ of lichens occurring in the landscape. The resulting works highlight the texture, depth, and form of lichen against the surface of ceramic. Reception at the Hunnewell Building on Saturday, 10/15, from 1:00-3:00pm.
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Oct 14Jan 30
Art Show | The Overstory, Richard Powers, Handmade Scroll by Artist Diane Samuels
Diane Samuels’ incredible 20” x 160’ scroll is a hand-transcription in micro-script of Richard Powers’ The Overstory. The text side is made of strips of recycled drawings, prints, and papers from the artist’s studio. The dimensions of the scroll correspond to a common vertical section of a coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens). The non-transcribed side is collaged with 99 bookplates. Each bookplate is made by a rubbing from a piece carved with the image of the leaf/needles identified with each of the nine characters in the book. Reception at the Hunnewell Building on Saturday, 10/15, from 1:00-3:00pm. (Image: Thomas Little)
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Oct 14Oct 15
Symposium | Olmsted: Bicentennial Perspectives
The Harvard University Graduate School of Design, in partnership with the Arnold Arboretum, is hosting a two-day academic conference as part of the national Olmsted 200 celebration. While Olmsted was central to the conceptual formation of the degree program in landscape architecture at Harvard University and the design of the Arnold Arboretum, the interpretive ambitions of the conference are anything but parochial.
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Oct 15
Crabapple and Maple Festival
Celebrate fall color at the Arboretum! With species of maples and crabapples from around the world, the Arboretum’s autumnal palette is unrivaled. Join the festivities for children’s activities, learn about the Crabapple and Maple Collections from staff and volunteers, and view our plants up close with our microscope station. Guided tours will take place at 1:00pm and 2:00pm in each collection, and a Tree Mob on crabapple disease management will be held at noon in the Crabapple Collection.
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Oct 18
On-site Landscape Talk | Tree Mob: Sustainability at the Arboretum
The Arboretum’s research facility at Weld Hill is LEED-Gold certified, designed to minimize the building’s impact on the environment and its surrounding neighborhood. Join Head of Operations and Project Management Danny Schissler to learn about Weld Hill and other sustainability initiatives at the Arboretum, including both carbon-free solar and geothermal energy production. This Tree Mob will be held outdoors, so dress accordingly!
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Oct 18
Virtual Livestream | Tree Mob: Sustainability at the Arboretum
The Arboretum’s research facility at Weld Hill is LEED-Gold certified, designed to minimize the building’s impact on the environment and its surrounding neighborhood. Join Head of Operations and Project Management Danny Schissler to learn about Weld Hill and other sustainability initiatives at the Arboretum, including both carbon-free solar and geothermal energy production.
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Oct 19
On-site Lecture | Plant Life Book Talk
Rosetta S. Elkin reveals that planting a tree can either be one of the ultimate offerings to thriving on this planet, or one of the most extreme perversions of human agency over it. Plant Life exposes the relationship between human and plant life, revealing that afforestation is not an ecological act: rather, it is deliberately political and distressingly social.
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Oct 19
Virtual Livestream | Plant Life Book Talk
Rosetta S. Elkin reveals that planting a tree can either be one of the ultimate offerings to thriving on this planet, or one of the most extreme perversions of human agency over it. Plant Life exposes the relationship between human and plant life, revealing that afforestation is not an ecological act: rather, it is deliberately political and distressingly social.
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Oct 25
On-site Lecture | Director’s Series | Obsessions: Fellow Organisms in the Arnold Arboretum
Join the Arnold Arboretum’s Director William (Ned) Friedman for the annual Director’s Series! To celebrate the Arboretum’s sesquicentennial, this year’s series will explore the Magic and Meaning of a Garden of Trees. Over the course of four sessions, we will trace the Arnold’s significance in the landscape architecture movement, value for the people of Boston, and leadership in creating global connections between plants and people. This final session will feature a talk from Director Friedman on fellow organisms in the Arboretum. The program is free and will be offered both in person and livestreamed.
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Oct 25
Virtual Livestream | Director’s Series | Obsessions: Fellow Organisms in the Arnold Arboretum
Join the Arnold Arboretum’s Director William (Ned) Friedman for the annual Director’s Series! To celebrate the Arboretum’s sesquicentennial, this year’s series will explore the Magic and Meaning of a Garden of Trees. Over the course of four sessions, we will trace the Arnold’s significance in the landscape architecture movement, value for the people of Boston, and leadership in creating global connections between plants and people. This final session will feature a talk from Director Friedman on fellow organisms in the Arboretum. The program is free and will be offered both in person and livestreamed.